Flange lock slider for filament slide fasteners



June 17, 1969 MANNlNG 3,449,803

FLANGE LOCK SLIDER FOR FILAMENT SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Dec. 14, 1967 A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,449,803 FLANGE LOCK SLIDER FOR FILAMENT SLIDE FASTENERS Harry F. Manning, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Talon, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 690,563 Int. Cl. A44b 19/04 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ladder type flange lock slide fastener having a slider, whose locking projections are positioned on the wings of the slider adjacent its mouth for positive insertion into the space intermediate two adjacent heel portions of the fastener, when the upper ends of the tapes are spread apart, to maintain the slider in a locked condition.

This invention relates to slide fasteners and more particularly to fasteners having a series of ladder type elements formed from a continuous plastic filament with the deformed filaments secured to each of the tapes by stitching.

Filament fasteners of the ladder type have been widely accepted for heavy duty applications, particularly jackets, sleeping bags and other outdoor equipment, because of their ease of installation and operation. It has been difficult, however, to provide satisfactory locking means for these particular applications of a ladder type filament fastener because the slider for use therewith generally requires a double-pull slider so that the fastener can be opened or closed from either side of the application. Fasteners for jackets, tents, sleeping bags and the like are subjected to relatively hard use and require an inexpensive, dependable slider and locking means therefor.

In the prior art, sliders for this type of fastener have incorporated a separate spring member to provide an automatic lock for maintaining the slider in a particular position. This type of automatic lock is not readily adapted to a double-pull type of configuration as the single spring member must be actuated by either of the oppositely disposed pulls to release the slider. Similarly, a slider provided with a pair of pull tabs located on opposite sides of the slider body and each carrying either a cam or a pin projection for engagement with the scoop elements has not proven feasible. A slider constructed with a separate spring element is an expensive method of construction and a slider having a cam or pin projection is only useful when the pull tab is turned to the single locking position.

One of the other known locks for metal slide fasteners is the so-called flange-lock which generally employs fixed projections on the inner wings of the flanges adjacent the mouth of the slider for the purpose of engaging the elements when the element carrying tapes are spread apart. A flange lock slider of this type is simple, inexpensive, sturdy and reliable because the locking mechanism requires no moving parts which have to be actuated and the lock functions regardless of the position of the pull tab.

However, a flange lock slider has not proven itself to be adaptable to a plastic filament fastener of the ladder type because the fixed projections are not readily engageable in the space intermediate the heel portions thereof. An added difl-lculty is that filament fasteners are generally manufactured from nylon filament, having a substantially circular cross section, which has the physical characteristic of being inherently slippery, such that the projections tend to over-ride the exposed heel portions thus preventing an eflicient lock.

3,449,803 Patented June 17, 1969 It is the object of this invention to provide a flange lock slider for a ladder type filament fastener.

Another object is to provide a flange lock slider for a ladder type filament fastener which positively engages the space intermediate the heel portions of adjacent interengaging elements.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a flange lock slider for a ladder type filament fastener which is not affected by the inherently slippery characteristic of the nylon filament.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a ladder type slide fastener;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the fastener of FIG. 1, with the slider in the open position and one tape of the fastener partially cut away and taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the fastener similar to FIG. 2, with the slider in the closed or locked position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of the fastener taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the two halves of the substantially symmetrical slider; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another embodiment of the slider.

Referring to the drawings, the slide fastener comprises tapes 10 and 12 each of which has an identical continuous ladder filament 14 secured by stitching 16 to the edges of each of the tapes. In a ladder type filament fastener, ladder filament 14 includes a plurality of U-shaped interengaging elements 20 located outwardly from the edge of the tape substantially in alignment with each other, with one set of leg members 22 of each scoop element disposed on one side of the tape and the other set of leg members 24 disposed on the opposite side of the tape. A series of heel portions 26 and 28 are alternately located on opposite sides of the tape, in staggered relation to each other for the purpose of interconnecting, respectively, adjacent leg members 22 on one side of the tape and adjacent leg members 24 on the opposite side of the tape. The resulting configuration thus provides a space 30 intermediate each adjacent heel portion on both sides of the tape.

Interrengaging elements 20 are interengaged or released by means of a slider 32 when the slider is moved to the closed or open position. Slider 32 has substantially parallel spaced apart wing members 34 and 36 and a pull tab 38 which is pivotally attached to wing member 34. It should be understood that a second pull tab identical to pull tab 38 can be pivotally attached to wing member 36 to provide a double acting slider for the fastener. Stitching 16 securing ladder filament 14 to tapes 10' and 12 provides a needle stitching 40 on one side of each tape for securing leg members 24 to the tape and a looper stitch 42 on the other side of the tape for securing leg member 22 to the tape. Looper stitch 42 is a braided type of stitch whose upper surface is generally raised above the surface of the leg members a distance greater than the thickness of the thread from which the stitch is formed, and thus has a thickness which is greater than needle stitch 40.

Stitching 40 and 42 passes about leg members 22 and 24 intermediate their length and generally does not lie close to the heel portions 26 and 28.

As best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the inside of the lower Wing 36 of slider 32 has inwardly directed locking projections 44 located thereon in mirror image relationship, which projections are suitable for entering into space 30 intermediate adjacent heel portions. Projections 44 are an extension of the opopsitely disposed mirror imaged flange members 46 or wing member 36 with tips 48 thereof curved inwardly such that their longitudinal axis extends substantially transverse to the direction of movement of the tapes and 12 as they pass through slider 32. Flange members 46 flare outwardly as they extend from throat portion 50 to mouth portion 52, as can best be seen in FIG. 5, and locking projection 44 tapers in both the longitudinal and transverse axes to tip 48 which lies substantially in the plane of the surface of wing member 36. While the above is a general description of wing member 36 of slider 32, it is to be understood that the substantially same configuration, including projections '44, will appear on wing member 34 such that the opposing faces of wing members 34 and 36 are substantially identical in configuration.

Slider 32, as shown in FIG. 1, is dimensioned to fit the tapes, coils and stitching in a substantially frictional fit. Thus, in a normal operation a slight force is required to move the slider along the coil carrying tapes. The ladder type filament described hereinabove is preferably made from a nylon filament having a substantially circular cross sectional configuration and is secured to the closely woven tapes by a synthetic thread so that the wear due to the frictional engagement of slider body 32 will be minimal.

In operation, the slider, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2. and 3, will be moved in an upward direction to close the fastener and in a downward direction to open the fastener with the elements normally passing closely adjacent to the diamond 54 which joins the upper wing member 34 to the lower wing member 36. Locking projections 44 will not interfere with the passage of elements 20 or the tapes, 10 and 12, through slider 32 nor will they engage or snag stitching 16 securing the ladder type filament 14 to the edge of the tape. Projection 44 has a smooth rounded surface con-figuration with only tip 48 having a surface which has any degree of sharpness to it.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the upper ends of tapes 10 and 12 are spread apart, as would occur in a jacket application, ladder filaments 14 carried on tapes -10 and 12 are displaced out of their normal path adjacent to diamond 54 in a manner such that heel portions 26 and 28 will move across tip 48 of projection 44 but will not be engaged therewith. Further movement of the upper ends of tapes 10 and 12 toward the spread apart condition will eventually place the path of movement of heel portions 26 and 28 through slider 32 closed to flange members 46 on wings 34 and 36. Eventually one or the other of heel portions 26 or 28 will move across the thicker portion of a locking projection 44 adjacent flange 46 and force the oppositely placed locking projection 44 to be seated in space 30 intermediate to adjacent leg members. Such an occurrence is shown in FIG. 4, wherein heel 26 slidably engages projection 44 on wing 34 and projection 44 on wing 36 has entered space 30 intermediate heels 28. Further movement of slider 32 is prevented because the farther tapes 10 or 12 are spread apart the more locking projection 44 is inserted into the space 30. The filament can only be released by moving the tapes closer together thus displacing the filament away from the flange member 46 on both wings of the slider and correspondingly removing locking projection 44 from space 30-.

While the embodiment of a ladder type flange lock slide fastener has been described hereinabove with particular reference with two pairs of cooperable locking projections 44 located on wings 34 and 36, it should be clear that only one pair of locking projections 44 oppositely disposed on wings 34 and 36 will be necessary. It has been found that this embodiment would provide an eflicient flange lock slide fastener that would effectively retain the slider in the closed position.

Similarly, it has also been discovered that looper stitching 42 will normally ride over the surface of projections 44 on wing 34 to displace filament carrying tapes 10 and 12 out of their normal track through slider 32,

such that projection 44 on wing 36 will engage space 30 located on that side of ladder filaments 14 that carry needle stitches 40.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein projections 66 and 68 on the wings of slider 62 are staggered relative to each other. In a ladder type filament fastener, heel portions 26 and 28 of ladder filament 14 located on opposite sides of tapes 10 and 12 are staggered relative to each other. Thus, spaces 30 on opposite sides of tapes 10 and 12 are staggered relative to each other. Therefore, when the ends of tapes 10 and 12 are spread apart, staggered projections 66 and 68 on wings of slider '62 of this embodiment will exactly fit into staggered spaces 30 to positively lock the fastener in slider 62.

Thus, it will be seen that a wing lock slide fastener is provided which is simple, inexpensive, sturdy and dependable in operation with the locking action being independent of the position of the pull tab 38.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to an embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A flangelock slide fastener comprising:

a pair of tapes each carrying a continuous filament uniformly deformed at regular intervals to provide a plurality of U-shaped interengageable scoop elements located outwardly from the edge of said tape substantially in alignment with each other, with the leg members of each scoop element disposed on opposite sides of said tape and secured thereto by stitching, and a series of heel portions alternately placed on opposite sides of said tape for interconnecting the legs of adjacent scoop elements in a uniform repetitious pattern, with said heel portions disposed on the same side of said tape separated by a space;

a slider, having spaced-apart wings and a pull for interengaging or releasing said scoop elements, with flange walls included on said wings for directing the path of movement of said fastener elements therethrough; and

inwardly extending locking projections having a height less than the height of said flange adapted to protrude from the surface of said wing and curved inwardly toward the center of said slider for positively engaging the space intermediate adjacent heel portions only when said tapes are spread apart;

the tip portion of said locking projection progressively reduced in height and Width from said flange wall to its tip so as to be readily inserted intermediate adjacent heel portions.

2. A flangelock slide fastener according to claim 1 wherein the central axis of said tip portion of said projection extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the path of movement of said scoop elements through said slider when said tapes are spread apart.

3. A flangelock slide fastener according to claim 2 wherein the tip portion of said projection is pointed with the upper surface of said tip portion tapering from the edge surface of said flange wall to said tip whereby said tip portion will engage a greater portion of said heel portions the wider the upper ends of said tapes are spread apart.

4. A flangelock slide fastener according to claim 1 in which a sequence of two pairs of said alternately placed heel portions locate a pair of said spaces on opposite sides of each of said tapes in a staggered relation, wherein:

said locking projections are carried on the inner surface of each of said spaced apart wings of said slider in staggered relation to each other for entering said paired spaces located on opposite sides of said tape when the upper ends thereof are spread apart.

5. A flangelock slide fastener according to claim 4 wherein said slider includes flange walls on said wings extending from the throat portion to the mouth portion of said slider for directing the path of movement of said fastener elements therethrough,

each of said locking projections is located adjacent to the mouth portion of said slider and forming a continuation of said flange wall.

6. A flangelock slide fastener according to claim 5 wherein each of said inwardly extending locking projections is of a length such that the side surfaces of each of said projections will engage a portion of the side surfaces of those pair of legs on opposite sides of said space and interconnected to said adjacent heel portions.

7. A flangelock slide fastener according to claim 1 wherein said locking projections are carried on the inner surface of each of said wings with said locking projections paired to overlie each other to provide a restricted path through which said elements can travel, when the upper ends of the tapes are spread apart,

one of said paired overlying locking projections acting as a surface for directing said element carrying tape out of its normal path, and said other paired projection to prevent movement of said element carrying tape through said slider.

8. A flangelock slide fastener according to claim 7 wherein one of said heel portions rests upon the surface of said one of said paired projections with a space located on the opposite side of said element carrying tape underlying said heel portion, said other of said paired projections inserted therein to prevent movement.

9. A flangelock slide fastener according to claim 8 wherein said paired projections are tapered from the surface of said wings of said slider to said flange wall whereby the wider said tape ends are spread apart the greater distance said tape is displaced out of its normal path and the farther said projection is inserted intermediate said adjacent heel portions.

10. A fiangelock slide fastener according to claim 7 wherein the stitching securing said continuous uniformly deformed filament to said tape includes needle threads passing about said legs on one side of said tape and a raised stitch securing said legs to the other side of said tape, said projection on one wing of said slider engaging said raised stitch and acting thereon to displace said filament carrying tape toward said other projection for engaging the space intermediate adjacent heel portions when the upper ends of the tapes are spread apart.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,890,336 12/1932 Nodine 24205.14 2,287,349 6/ 1942 Hirsch 24--205.14 3,226,788 1/1966 Samberg 24-20114 3,267,544 8/ 1966 Davies 24-205 .14

FOREIGN PATENTS 600,764 7/ 1934 Germany.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

